COSTELLO
All we got is a couple of days on the team… You know I’m a catcher too.

ABBOT
So they tell me.

COSTELLO
I get behind the plate to do some fancy catching, Tomorrow’s pitching on my team and a heavy hitter gets up. Now the heavy hitter bunts the ball. When he bunts the ball, me, being a good catcher, I’m gonna throw the guy out at first base. So I pick up the ball and throw it to who?

ABBOT
Now that’s the first thing you’ve said right.

COSTELLO
I don’t even know what I’m talking about!

ABBOT
That’s all you have to do.

COSTELLO
Is to throw the ball to first base.

ABBOT
Yes!

COSTELLO
Now who’s got it?

ABBOT
Naturally.

COSTELLO
Look, if I throw the ball to first base, somebody’s gotta get it. Now who has it?

ABBOT
Naturally.

COSTELLO
Who?

ABBOT
Naturally.

COSTELLO
Naturally?

ABBOT
Naturally.

COSTELLO
So I pick up the ball and I throw it to Naturally.

ABBOT
No you don’t, you throw the ball to Who.

COSTELLO
Naturally.

ABBOT
That’s different.

COSTELLO
That’s what I said.

ABBOT
You’re not saying it…

COSTELLO
I throw the ball to Naturally.

ABBOT
You throw it to Who.

COSTELLO
Naturally.

ABBOT
That’s it.

COSTELLO
That’s what I said!

ABBOT
You ask me.

COSTELLO
I throw the ball to who?

ABBOT
Naturally.

COSTELLO
Now you ask me.

ABBOT
You throw the ball to Who?

COSTELLO
Naturally.

ABBOT
That’s it.

COSTELLO
Same as you! Same as YOU! I throw the ball to who. Whoever it is drops the ball and the guy runs to second. Who picks up the ball and throws it to What. What throws it to I Don’t Know. I Don’t Know throws it back to Tomorrow, Triple play. Another guy gets up and hits a long fly ball to Because. Why? I don’t know! He’s on third and I don’t give a darn!

ABBOT
What?

COSTELLO
I said I don’t give a darn!

ABBOT
Oh, that’s our shortstop.

This sketch, in my opinion, is one of the finest examples of word play I can think of.The premise is easy enough to understand; there is a baseball team on which every player has an odd name, such as ‘Who’, ‘What’ and ‘I don’t know’. Costello wants to get to know the names of the players, but due to their odd names, asks a series of difficult questions he does not understand the answers to.

A classic example of information being lost in recitation, and confusion over similar words, this is one of the finest sketches I can think of in terms of it’s wit, speed, delivery and conception. And all it really boils down to is the misunderstanding of a few words: the basis of most comedy.